sons : (1) Some of the first botanical collections of the species in North America 

 were made near Quebec; (2) the species appears to have first attained out- 

 standing commercial importance in Canada; (3) it is most abundant in the 

 Great Lakes region and particularly in the area bordering their northern shores, 

 more especially southern Ontario; (4) probably the chief centers of commer- 

 cial production of Canada bluegrass seed are in Ontario and Quebec. Because 

 of its characteristic, dark blue-green foliage, this was perhaps the first of the 

 poas to be called bluegrass. The Latin specific name compressa refers to the 

 flattened (compressed) appearance of the stems (culms) and leaf sheaths. 



Canada bluegrass is distributed widely throughout the cooler regions of 

 North America, from Newfoundland and British Columbia southward to Geor- 

 gia and California. However, insofar as its United States range is concerned, 

 this grass is most common and abundant in that sector extending from New 

 England to West Virginia and Ohio, and westward to Indiana and Missouri. 

 Since being introduced into the Pacific Northwest, it has increased measurably 

 and is now fairly common in many places. 



In the southern United States, particularly the Southwest, Canada bluegrass 

 occurs in the higher mountains, and on irrigated lawns and pastures where 

 abundant moisture is supplied artificially. Throughout the entire western 

 range country this grass occurs sparsely in the mountain meadows, parks, and 

 along dry stream banks, but occasionally is abundant on sites where it has 

 been seeded. It is very persistent, when once established, and will do better 

 than Kentucky bluegrass on the poorer and drier sites. 1 



Although the former conception was that Canada bluegrass is native to 

 America, most authorities now agree that it was introduced from the Old World, 

 where it is indigenous. 



Canada bluegrass grows better than any other grass commonly cultivated 

 in the cooler parts of this country on stiff clay soils of low fertility, does well 

 on gravelly areas, and even grows sparsely on sandy soils. This grass often 

 occurs in pure, dense stands on the sides of highway and railroad cuts, and on 

 eroded areas whose subsoil has been exposed. However, on the better top soils, 

 this grass cannot cope with Kentucky bluegrass and other grasses, which fre- 

 quently abound on such areas. Kentucky bluegrass and Canada bluegrass do 

 not, as a rule, grow naturally intermixed in the sod, though they are often 

 associated in neighboring but separated patches. Canada bluegrass reaches its 

 greatest perfection and grows most luxuriantly in southern Ontario and 

 western New York on glacial soils derived from sand, stone, and clay. 



The lush foliage of Canada bluegrass is highly relished by all classes of live- 

 stock, and is also grazed to a considerable extent by elk. It is also cropped 

 lightly by deer, especially during the spring and early summer when the 

 foliage is tender and succulent. The species rates as choice forage for cattle 

 and horses, and from good to very good for sheep. Although not so palatable 

 as Kentucky bluegrass, it is highly nutritious. Sampson a states that "extensive 

 chemical analysis and some feeding tests indicate that Canada bluegrass is 

 nutritious though probably of somewhat less food value than Kentucky blue- 

 grass because the former contains more crude fiber, only part of which is 

 digestible." Canada bluegrass rates as much better pasturage if it is grazed 

 and not allowed to become overly mature, as livestock eat the younger foliage 

 with greater avidity. It withstands close use, is resistant to heavy trampling, 

 and recuperates rapidly after severe grazing. 



This grass is extensively used on the poorer soils, especially in the north- 

 eastern States and Canada, as pasturage, as hay, for lawns and golf courses. 8 * 

 However, it does not form so dense a sod or develop such a rich, uniform, dark 

 green color as Kentucky bluegrass. Experimental range reseeding tests indi- 

 cate that this species has potential value for reseeding certain depleted or 

 badly eroded areas where precipitation is adequate and temperatures are cool. 



1 Forsling, C. L., and Dayton, W. A. ARTIFICIAL RESEEDING ON WESTERN MOUNTAIN 

 RANGE LANDS. U. S. Dept. Agr. Circ. 178, 48 pp., illus. 1931. 



2 Sampson, A. W. BLUEGRASSES WITH A DISCUSSION OF CHEMICAL ANALYSIS. Natl. 

 Wool Grower 6 (10) : 23-25, illus. 1916. 



3 Oakley, R. A. CANADA BLUEGRASS : ITS CULTURE AND USES. U. S. Dept. Agr. Farmers' 

 Bull. 402, 20 pp., illus. 1910. 



* Piper, C. V. IMPORTANT CULTIVATED GRASSES. U. S. Dept. Agr. Farmers' Bull. 1254, 

 38 pp., illus. 1922. 



